CDE Adult Education Staff Collection at the California Adult Education Archives

Collection processed by Linda L. West; machine-readable finding aid created by Randi Knutson
Outreach and Technical Assistance Network
Sacramento County Office of Education
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003
Phone: (916) 228-2580
Fax: (916) 228-2563
Email: library@otan.us
URL: http://www.otan.us
© 2007


Collection Summary

Title: CDE Adult Education Staff
Date (inclusive): 1981-2001
Identifier/Call Number: OTAN FA 007
Creator: California. Dept. of Education. Adult Education Office
Physical Description: Three boxes
Repository: Sacramento County Office of Education. Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003
Abstract: The California Department of Education (CDE) supports the adult education programs of over 350 public schools in the state. In addition to state (apportionment) funding, California adult education is supported by federal funds which are allocated based on census data. The Adult Education Office (formerly the Adult Education Unit, among other name variations) has primary responsibility for monitoring both the state and federal programs. An administrator is designated as the State Director of Adult Education for the federal program, and the staff consists of field and internal program consultants and support staff. The largest part of the collection consists of the working files of a program consultant, Lynda T. Smith, 1984-1994. The Smith files feature correspondence and contracts related to the 1989 strategic plan for adult education in California and to several important federally funded projects. Smaller parts of the collection are files of consultants James S. Lindgren (1980s) and Olga Uribe (2000-2001), support staff person Sandi Martin (1990), State Director Robert A Cervantes, 1995-1996, and some of his consultants, and State Director Joan Dailey Polster, 1998-2000.
Language of Material: English
Physical Location: The materials are in the California Adult Education Archives maintained by the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network at the Sacramento County Office of Education. For current information on the location of the materials, please consult the OTAN Web site at http://www.otan.us.

Access

The collection is open for research by appointment. Please call the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network.

Publication Rights

California Adult Education archival materials are publicly funded and not subject to copyright restrictions. Publications should properly reference the Archives and the specific collection that contains the quoted materials. See Preferred Citation. Some copyrighted materials are contained within this collection and the copyright has not been ceded to the Archives. For these materials, the owner of the copyright should be contacted.

Preferred Citation

Guide to the CDE Adult Education Staff Collection at the California Adult Education Archives. OTAN FA 007. Outreach and Technical Assistance Network, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento, CA

Acquisition Information

In 2003 the Adult Education Office moved to a new building in Sacramento housing the California Department of Education. In anticipation of reduced storage space in the new building, the consultants transferred some of their older working files to the OTAN office at the Sacramento County Office of Education, where the files were evaluated for inclusion in the California Adult Education Archives, organized, and processed.

Administrative History

The California Department of Education (CDE) supports the adult education programs of over 350 public schools. In addition to state (apportionment) funding, California adult education is supported by federal funds that are allocated based on census data. Types of provider agencies that are eligible to apply for federal supplemental funding are public adult schools, community colleges, community-based and faith-based organizations, library literacy programs, and state agencies such as the California Youth Authority.
The Adult Education Office (formerly the Adult Education Unit, among other name variations) has primary responsibility for monitoring both the state and federal programs. An administrator is designated as the State Director of Adult Education for the federal program, and the staff consists of field and internal program consultants and support staff.
Each state submits to the USDOE a plan for the use of its federal dollars, consistent with the authorizing legislation and with local needs. A state plan typically covers three to five years and may be extended. In the late 1980s, California also pursued a strategic planning process which produced several research documents and, in 1989, a strategic plan "Adult Education for the 21st Century," that guided the progress of adult education in the state for the next decade.
Most of the federal supplemental funds are distributed to local providers, but a percentage is reserved for statewide projects. The CDE Adult Education Office identifies service priorities such as assessment, staff development, information disssemination, and support of the use of technology and distance learning. Requests for proposals are designed and contracts are awarded for one to three year periods. Contractors in the 1980s and 1990s have included San Francisco State University Foundation, Pacific Management Research Associates, the Association of California School Administrators, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, the Sacramento County Office of Education, CSU Dominguez Hills, Los Angeles Unified School District, UCLA, and WestEd.
The individuals whose files are preserved in this collection all worked for CDE in the adult education offices during the period 1981-2001. Their files give insights into the contracting process, including some of the political issues of the time, and to the progress of statewide efforts to support and improve adult education, some of which were controversial.
The papers of Dr. Lynda T. Smith, who was the monitor for several significant contracts during the 1984-1994 period, are the richest. Dr. Smith was a member of the Advisory Committee on Adult Education that produced the 1989 strategic plan, and also was active in national organizations that advocated for adult education, such as AAACE. Dr. Smith's untimely death in June 1994 resulted from a brain tumor.

Indexing Terms

Corporate Names

Adult Education Institute for Research and Planning
California Adult Student Assessment System [pre 1986] see Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System
California. Dept. of Education. Adult Education Policy and Planning Unit
Outreach and Technical Assistance Network
San Francisco State University Foundation. Center for Adult Education
Association of California School Administrators
California. Dept. of Education
California. Dept. of Education. Adult Education Office
California. Dept. of Education. Adult Education Unit
California. State Dept. of Education [pre 1990] see California. Dept. of Education
Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (Foundation for Educational Achievement)
Literacy Volunteers of America.
Pacific Management and Research Associates
United States. Division of Adult Education and Literacy
WestEd (Organization)

Personal Names

James S. Lindberg
Joan Dailey Polster
Lew Pebbles
Lynda T. Smith
Melinda M. Jan-Flanders
Olga Uribe
Raymond G. Eberhard
Robert A. Cervantes
Sandi Martin
Delaine Easton
Gerald H. Kilbert
K. Lynn Savage
Thomas G. Sticht

Subject (ERIC Thesaurus)

Adult Education
Adult Literacy
Adult Students
Citizenship Education
Educational Assessment
Educational Research
English (Second Language)
Information Dissemination
Management Information Systems
Staff Development
State Departments of Education
State Federal Aid
Statewide Planning
Strategic Planning
Technology Education

Scope and Content of the Collection

The largest part of the collection consists of the working files of a program consultant, Lynda T. Smith, 1984-1994. The Smith files feature correspondence and contracts related to the 1989 strategic plan for adult education in California and to important federally funded initiatives. Some highlights of her papers include materials related to the protest of the award of the staff development contract in 1988, to the commercial publication of the ESL Teacher Institute modules, to the minigrants funded through CASAS that were open to local agencies, and the difficulties with the Learning Networks.
Smaller parts of the collection are the people lists of consultant James S. Lindgren (1980s); camera ready print masters from the files of support staff person Sandi Martin (1990); correspondence and materials related to the controversial ESL Citizenship, Federal 321 program from the files of State Director Robert A Cervantes, 1995-1996 and some of his consultants; correspondence and materials related to the new federal law that funded adult education in 1998, the Workforce Investment Act, from the files of State Director Joan Dailey Polster, 1998-2000; and correspondence and contracts related to the CCE adult education model standards efforts, from the files of consultant Olga Uribe, 2000-2001.
The Cervantes file contains a copy of a memo with 13 attachments from Gerald H. Kilbert to Delaine Eastin, giving a detailed two-year political history of the ESL Citizenship program.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into six series, one for each of the CDE staff persons represented. The Smith collection has eleven sub-series, ten are related to specific projects, and one for general correspondence. The projects are Federal Supplemental Programs, Adult Education Act, 1984-1989; San Francisco State University Foundation, Staff Development Contracts, 1987-1988; Advisory Committee on Adult Education, 1988-1989; Pacific Management Research Associates (PMRA), 1988-1992; Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), ESL Teacher Institute, 1986-1994; Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), 1991-1992; Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS); YAAES Division Regional Workshops, February, 1990; Tehama-Glen Adult Learning Consortium, 1991; Learning Network Project, 1992-1995.
Smaller parts of the collection have only one sub-series each: the people lists of consultant James S. Lindgren (1980s); camera ready print masters from the files of support staff person Sandi Martin (1990); correspondence and materials related to the controversial ESL Citizenship, federal 321 program, from the files of State Director Robert A Cervantes, 1995-1996, and some of his consultants; and correspondence and contracts related to the CCE adult education model standards efforts, from the files of consultant Olga Uribe, 2000-2001.
The files of State Director Joan Dailey Polster, 1998-2000, have two sub-series related to the new federal law that funded adult education in 1998 Workforce Investment Act: materials from the National Conference of State Directors of Adult Education, September 22-25, 1998; and working files.

Box 1-2

Series 1 Lynda T. Smith, Consultant, Adult Education, Working Files 1984-1994

Physical Description: One and a half file storage boxes
File 1 : 1

Subseries 1-1 Federal Supplemental Programs, Adult Education Act 1984-1989

Physical Description: Seven folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 1. Narrative Performance Report, Adult Education State-Administered Program, P.L. 91-230, California State Department of Education, Adult Education Unit, Financial Status Reports and related correspondence, FY 1986-1987 and 1987-1988.
  • Folder 2. Area Workshop, USDE, Division of Adult Education and State Directors of Adult Education, agenda and handouts, 1989 March 23.
  • Folder 3. Adult Education State Plan Review Guide, USDE, Division of Adult Education, FY 1990
  • Folder 4. Federal Employee Literacy Training (FELT) Program, 1984-1986
  • Folder 5. Project Literacy U.S. (PLUS), 1986
  • Folder 6. Garnett Foundation Literacy Challenge, California Literacy Campaign, KCET American Ticket, Literacy Volunteers of America, 1998
  • Folder 7. USDOE Site Visit to California, 1988 May
File 1 : 2

Subseries 1-2 San Francisco State University Foundation, Staff Development Contracts 1987-1988

Physical Description: Two folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 8. CBAE Staff Development Contract Closeout, 1987-1988
  • Folder 9. Protest of the Award of the Adult Education Staff Development Contract, 1988 September-December
File 1 : 3

Subseries 1-3 Advisory Committee on Adult Education 1988-1989

Physical Description: Five folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 10. Committee papers
  • Folder 11. California State Plan for Adult Basic Education, 1985 July 1 to 1988 June 30, Extension, 1988 July 1 to 1988 June 30
  • Folder 12. Adult Education Needs for a Changing State, 1988 November 18
  • Folder 13. The California Adult Education System: Background Paper, 1988 December 29
  • Folder 14. Adult Education for the 21st Century: Strategic Plan..., Second Draft, 1989 February 15
File 1 : 4

Subseries 1-4 Pacific Management Research Associates (PMRA) 1988-1993

Physical Description: Four folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 15. State Plan Framework Contract, 1988-1989
  • Folder 16. Implement Adult Ed Strategic Plan Contract, 1989-1991
  • Folder 17. Implement Adult Ed Strategic Plan Contract, January 1992 -December 1993
  • Folder 18. Correspondence, 1988-1992
File 1 : 5

Subseries 1-5 Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), ESL Teacher Institute 1986-1994

Physical Description: Seven folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 19. Copyright issues, correspondence, 1987-1994
  • Folder 20. Commercial publisher correspondence, general, 1986-1990
  • Folder 21. Scott, Foresman correspondence, 1989-1990
  • Folder 22. Prentiss Hall correspondence, 1989-1990
  • Folder 23. Longman correspondence, 1989-1990
  • Folder 24. ESL Teacher Institute contracts and correspondence, 1989-1991
  • Folder 25. Content ESL for Amnesty and correspondence, 1993
File 1 : 6

Subseries 1-6 Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) 1991-1994

Physical Description: Five folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 26. OTAN Contract #7230 Augmentation #3, extend contract to June 1992, Worksheet and Correspondence, 1991 December
  • Folder 27. OTAN Contract #315, Prospectus, 1991 December -1993 November
  • Folder 28. OTAN Contract #315, Sole Source Justification, 1991 December -1993 November
  • Folder 29. OTAN Contract #315, Worksheet and Correspondence, (Final contract dates were 1992 February-1994 January),1991 December -1993 November
  • Folder 30. CONNECT Contract #9132, Worksheet, Sole Source Justification, and Correspondence, through 1992 June
File 2 : 1

Subseries 1-7 Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) 1987-1992

Physical Description: Five folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 1. Contract work papers, FY1988, 1987-1988
  • Folder 2. Federal ABE Section 353 Minigrants, 1987-1988
  • Folder 3. Federal ABE Section 353 Minigrants, 1988-1989
  • Folder 4. Assessment in Adult Special Education, 1988
  • Folder 5. Contract work papers, 1992
File 2 : 2

Subseries 1-8 YAAES Division Regional Workshops 1990

Physical Description: Two folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 6. Workshop publicity, 1990 February
  • Folder 7. Workshop materials, 1990 February
File 2 : 3

Subseries 1-9 Tehama-Glen Adult Learning Consortium 1991

Physical Description: Two folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 8. Draft of report, 1991 March 18
  • Folder 9. Draft of report, 1991 April 19
File 2 : 4

Subseries 1-10 Learning Network Project 1992-1995

Physical Description: Four folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 10. Prospectus, 1992 July 17
  • Folder 11. Correspondence, 1993
  • Folder 12. Correspondence, 1994
  • Folder 13. Correspondence and reports, 1995
File 2 : 5

Subseries 1-11 Lynda T. Smith, General Correspondence 1991-1992

Physical Description: Two folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 14. Correspondence, 1991 July-December
  • Folder 15. Correspondence, 1992 January-June
Box 2 : 2

Series 2 James (Jim) Lindberg, Consultant, Adult Education, Working Files 1980-1989

Physical Description: Two folders
File 2 : 6

Subseries 2-1 Adult Education People Lists 1980-1989

Physical Description: Two folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 16. California Adult Education, 1981-1983
  • Folder 17. United States Adult Education, 1980-1989
Box 2 : 3

Series 3 Sandi Martin, Support Staff, Adult Education, Working Files 1990

Physical Description: Six folders
File 2 : 7

Subseries 3-1 Original print masters of reports 1990

Physical Description: Six folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 18. Adult Education Handbook
  • Folder 19. Contractor Information
  • Folder 20. Agendas and calendars
  • Folder 21. Maps and directions
  • Folder 22. Course Approval, Allocations, Concurrent
  • Folder 23. General
Box 3 : 1

Series 4 YAAES Division Staff, Working Files: Robert A. Cervantes, Director; Raymond G. Eberhard, Consultant; Lew Pebbles, Consultant; Melinda M. Jan-Flanders, Consultant 1992-1996

Physical Description: Six folders
File 3 : 1

Subseries 4-1 ESL Citizenship, Federal 321 Program 1995-1996

Physical Description: Six folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 1. Files of R.A. Cervantes, 1994 June-1995 August
  • Folder 2. Memo re: ESL Citizenship Program with 13 attachments, from Gerald H. Kilbert, Asst. Supt. for Public Instruction, from files of R.G. Eberhard, gives detailed two-year political history of program, 1995 February 1
  • Folder 3. Federal Review folder, L. Pebbles, 1995
  • Folder 4. "A Symposium for Community-based Organizations," M.M. Jan-Flanders, 1996
  • Folder 5. Bibliography of Citizenship Materials, CASAS, 1994
  • Folder 6. Draft ESL Citizenship Modules, Staff Development Institute (SDI), 1995
Box 3 : 2

Series 5 Joan Dailey Polster, Administrator, Adult Education Office, Working Files 1998-2000

Physical Description: Eleven folders
File 3 : 2

Subseries 5-1 National Conference of State Directors of Adult Education 1998

Physical Description: Three folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 7. Agenda, participants, USDE goals and programs, 1998 September 22-25
  • Folder 8. Guides for state implementation of the new Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (WIA 1998)
  • Folder 9. Draft of two reports on the future of adult education by Thomas G. Sticht
File 3 : 3

Subseries 5-2 Workforces Investment Act (WIA) 1998-2000

Physical Description: Eight folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 10. Position papers
  • Folder 11. WIA Coordinating Team
  • Folder 12. USDOE direction
  • Folder 13. Title II meetings and presentations
  • Folder 14. Title II language
  • Folder 15. WIA analyses
  • Folder 16. WIA language
  • Folder 17. AEFLA application, presentation slides, 2000-2003
Box 3 : 3

Series 6 Olga Uribe, Consultant, Adult Education Office, Working Files 2000-2001

Physical Description: Five folders
File 3 : 4

Subseries 6-1 Model Standards 2000-2001

Physical Description: Five folders

Scope and Content Note

  • Folder 18. Correspondence related to contract with WestEd
  • Folder 19. Contract with WestEd
  • Folder 20. Meetings related to Model Standards
  • Folder 21. "Model Standards, Content Standards, & Assessment" presentation slides, 2000 October
  • Folder 22. "Adult ESL Content Standards" draft with letter to field requesting feedback, 2001 September